3LW - 3LW > Reviews > Tha Lil' Women In Tha Buildin'

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Average
Lyrics	Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
Value for Money	Satisfactory

Advantages:	Nas
Disadvantages:	Too much Pop

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

The self-entitled 3LW, comes from an R&B trio composed of Naturi Naughton, Adrienne Bailon, and Kiely Williams the 3 Little Women. At the time of release, 2000, they were all 16 years old and I remember seeing them on Cribs, and they are actually 'little' as the name suggest with one of them only 5'. These young girls were one of a few new R&B acts to spring up in the new millenium period, and capitalized on a re-birth in urban American music.

1. "No More"

This is the debut single from the 3 Little Women, and they come with a fresh souind for the new millenium as a brand new act on the scene. Although they shoudl be categorized as R&B, based on the majrity of material which they perform in this style, this is a pure pop one. However, this isn't isn't always bad, and as this one didn't get overplayed in it's day it doesn't sound annoying now (as most mainstrea pop songs usually get worn out by it).

I always enjoy listening to the first verse as it is an interesting belnd of pop, R&B and rap with how the lyrics are said and the lisp from one of the girls implies innoncence from them, so the rap is very light-hearted to attract a wide audience.

**Five Stars**

2. "Is You Feelin' Me"

When I read the title for this track the first time, I thought that it soudned like they were attempting too hard to sound 'street', but this excessive use of AAVE (African American Vernacluar English) made them seem even further from their target urban audience than had they just called it "Are You Feelin' Me".

With the title giving off such a bad impression it was a battle to win me over with the song, and I thought that they didn't really have much to offer in this track at all, it was unmemorable with so many of their songs just like it.

**Two Stars**

3. "Playas Gon' Play"

As the second (and final) single from the album, 3LW contiuned exactly the type of things which were heard in their first song, "No More" with a mash-up of muscal genre, similar to that of the first. 3LW also sing on themes which overlap, but at times they conttradict much of what was said in "No More" as they now accept why men sometimes act as they do, instead of blaming them like before.

**Four Stars**

4. "Gettin' Too Heavy"

This song has the trio sing about feeling pressured by their relationships too early on. I thought that this was fairly original, and so I felt as confident in what they could poetially come out with for alter on in the album, but the way it was sang mad eit song like any old pop song from 2000.

**Two Stars**

5. "I'm Gonna Make You Miss Me"

I felt tthat despite the fact they group sang this song well, I didn't quite get the lyrics. None of it really made much sense to me, and so I couldn't engage with it. As the song is quite slow, but has some speed in the production, this made for further complication in trying to decode the lyrics. Due to all this, it was wasn't bad, but not close to being a favourite.

**Two Stars**

6. "Not This Time"

Whenever I listen to this track, the production always anticipate a breakdown which will lead the track into a 2-Step Garage one, but This was never going to happen with an America group like this. However, I hope someone pick up on it, and goes back to remix it in an old scool Garage way as it fitts right in with the year of release and everything.

Aside from this expectation for a UK dance twist, there wasn't much to the track, but just thinking that the production was goign to break down like this from start to finish kept me involved.

**Three Stars**

7. "More Than Friends"

I thought that much like many of the other of the song on the album, all of the energy from the tune came out of the production, and as this one used a Hip Hop sample, I was forced to be drawn into the track, but I did think that 3LW suited the beat which was given to them (it didn't seem forced).

**Four Stars**

8. "Curious"

This is one of very few slow songs from the trio, and it makes them stick out from the multitude of up-tempo exciting dance-pop songs where you are less focused upon the vocals, but here you are forced to concentrate on their singing, and I must say that they show strong potential. However, as this was just a cool-down track in the middle of many exciting ones, I didn't really take in what they sang, leaving it unmemorable.

**Two Stars**

9. "Til I Say So"

This song is a pretty typical example of what 3LW come with as it has them singing their variation with so much pop influence that you couldn't put it into this category. I felt that as this track took so much pop in it, that it souded manfactured and fake

**Two Stars**

10. "Crush On You"

The title to this track sums up the theme for this tune, and to be honest they sang it nicey. However, although I was entertained by the song, I was left dissatisfied by it as they didn't bring any originality to the table when they sang it. It was all quite predictable, but performed to a standard where you cannot fault it.

**Three Stars**

11. "Ocean"

You feel as though you are winding down the album when you hear a slow song like this, but as it switched up with a huge Hip Hop track after, it was quite misleading. Now looking at this one, "Ocean", 3LW go for their first ballard. As this type of song puts me off almost every time, unless performed to perfection, I couldn't get involved with it at all. Others may see more in it than I did, but I only noticed a couple of nice melodies and nailed high notes, apart from this it was plain.

12. "I Can't Take It No More"

Thsi is the remix to "No More", but if it wasn't on this album you wouldn't guess it. 3LW hardly get a chance at singing at all in the track as it's all about the guess MC, who comes in the form of Quennsbridge's Nas.

All Hip Hop heads should be attracted by this name alone, but as 3LW are so pop I can understand why you may be tentative towards it, but I can assure you that you are going to be in for a treat as Nas performs on a sample of "Eric B Is President" (Make 'Em Clap To This) by Eric B & Rakim, and Nas kills the beat.

**Five Stars**

I felt that for a pop album, this is stronh and the pre-tenn audience would love this, but there's also something for those who enjoy Hip Hop in it's proper form. With such a wide spectrum of genre, I'd say that it's best is true Hip Hopppers stay away fropmit as they would probably be offended by the mainstream sounds from it, but they have to check out "I Can't Take It No More" as it is a one-off historic track where a new-schooler takes on an Old school classic.